Media Capture Through Foreign Agent Laws: The Cases of Russia, Hungary, Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Based on evidence from four country contexts, the paper aims to show how a remedy to media capture—foreign support and philanthropy—has triggered increased governmental pressure and led to new forms of media capture. It also examines how independent media outlets are coping with this situation. The paper begins with the premise that the current market is unable to provide viable business models for independent media and thus protect outlets from capture. For some time, foreign support for the media served as a remedy, compensating for lost revenues. In fact, media support has long existed in the form of grants, philanthropy, training, and certain forms of public diplomacy. Recently, however, the increased importance of media support has led to retaliation by governments, now focused directly on donors and grant recipients. The paper defines the disadvantages and potential risks of media support for independent media in pressured environments. It also provides a theoretical explanation of the conditions that determine when a media organisation is willing to accept risk.